


Walk This Way

by monsterleadmehome



Category: Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens (2015), Star Wars Episode VIII: The Last Jedi (2017), Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Ben works at a publishing company, F/M, Finn is on Broadway!, Fluff, Fluff and Humor, Fluff and Smut, New York City, Poe is a dirty matchmaker, Rey is a construction worker
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-17
Updated: 2018-09-21
Packaged: 2019-07-11 17:34:02
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 11,117
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15977129
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/monsterleadmehome/pseuds/monsterleadmehome
Summary: Rey Johnson is the lone female on a crew of construction workers renovating a building in the NYC neighborhood of SoHo. She hates the way her teammates ogle and catcall women. One day, a handsome passerby catches her eye and she develops a staring problem. Her foreman, Poe Dameron, notices and decides to help her out.Ben Solo works for a publishing company in the heart of SoHo. He's made a comfortable, quiet life for himself. Then a pretty construction worker shows up on the stoop by his work and suddenly he's got a new morning routine. The last thing he expected is for her to actually be interested in him.Here's my fic for The Reylo Writing Den Two Part Prompt!





	1. Chapter 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What's up, here's another modern AU nobody asked for inspired by the very real construction going on near my actual job in the trendy neighborhood of SoHo. It's my fluffy little entry for the Reylo Writing Den's Two Part Prompt. Enjoy!

The hustle and bustle of New York City commuters on their way to work was a familiar commotion to Rey Johnson. She liked people watching while on her morning break from her construction job. She ate her everything bagel with cream cheese and drank her coffee as the masses filtered by, never paying her a single lick of attention, all too preoccupied with their own route. Some of them rushed past, clearly running late. Some of them happily bopped along to the beat in their headphones. Most were blissfully ignorant of the lewd things some of her coworkers would say. It was an unfortunate side effect of working in the industry. Her foreman, Poe Dameron, was a good dude. It wasn’t him that a lot of the comments came from. Not to mention the fact that she knew he was an equal opportunity ogler, checking out the males  _ and _ females that passed by. She would occasionally speak her mind about the boys’ behavior, and for the most part, they respected her wishes by not catcalling the young women that passed by. Was it honestly that hard to be a decent person?

 

Now, however, Rey felt like a bit of hypocrite. Of course she would never yell obscenities at passersby, but recently a tall, dark someone had caught her eye. He had just started walking up Vandam last week, his briefcase tucked under an impressively beefy arm. He had wavy dark hair and wore glasses. She knew he had to be well over six feet, even though she was always seated when he passed. His tailored button down shirts and slacks fit him extremely well. It was evident that he worked out. She had gone heart eyes over this man without even knowing his name. He rose up out of the subway exit like a god from the underworld and the sun glared off of his glasses. She sighed around her bite of bagel and ducked her head down, the brim of her yellow hard hat hiding her eyes.

 

“What are you trying to hide?” Poe asked her. He looked out to the sea of bodies swirling by. “Does our dear Rey have a crush?”

 

“Shut up, Poe.” 

 

“Oooh let me try to guess…” He looked out across the sidewalk to where the pedestrians were crossing underneath the scaffolding. “Is it muscley dude-bro? No, not your type. Hipster startup with the beanie?” Rey made a face. “Nah, nah… Oh, I bet it’s tall, dark, and glasses.” He tracked the very object of her gaze to the entrance literally two doors down from the stoop they were perched upon. It was one of the buildings that was currently part of their worksite.

 

She could feel her cheeks warming and took a long pull of her coffee, not saying a word.

 

“It is him, isn’t it? He works right there! You should go say hi!”

 

“Oh, come off it. I’m not going to walk over in my dirty jeans and fluorescent vest and just introduce myself. I bet he’s some fancy exec with a corner office or something.”

 

“I bet you he’s not.”

 

“Whatever.” Rey threw her bagel wrapper away and trudged back to work, leaving Poe smirking in her wake.

 

It was later in the day when a few of the guys were laying some sheetrock and Snap said, “Anyone else smell that?”

 

Everyone sniffed the air. Poe came over and motioned for them all to stop what they were doing. “Could be a leak. I’m going to send some of you to check out the other areas. Rey why don’t you check number eighteen, the top few floors?”

 

Rey groaned as she started to stomp off, calling behind her, “Don’t think I don’t know what you’re doing!”

 

Number eighteen was where the guy she was crushing on worked. Of course she had no idea what floor he was on, but Poe knew there would be a chance she could run into him. That stinker. She took the service elevator up to the tenth floor, which was currently empty while they renovated it. There was something about the smell of fresh paint and sawdust that stirred Rey’s senses. It smelled like possibilities. After checking the tenth, ninth, and eighth floors and coming up empty handed, she hit the button for floor seven. This floor was occupied by a publishing company, Starkiller Inc.

 

She roamed the corridor in the area where they had just installed the new elevator before making her way out onto the floor where the employees were. Checking the areas accordingly, she let her eyes wander as she passed rows of cubicles. There was one off in the corner, situated away from the main hub where most of the office drones were buzzing. She walked by on her way to the opposite stair well, intending to head back down when she caught sight of a head of raven locks peeking above the edge of a cubicle. She stopped and turned, making her way over where he was. Ben Solo, the nameplate on the outside of his cube read. 

 

_ Ben, that’s a nice guy name, right? _ She continued to stare at his back while he typed away, the cords of muscle apparent underneath his light blue dress shirt. The random thought came to her that she’d like to run her hands across his shoulder blades, see if he was as taut as he looked. It was then that he swiveled around in his desk chair, eyes trained right on her. His eyes were a velvety brown, the kind you could easily get lost in. She jumped, realizing he’d caught her staring and quickly shuffled over to the nearby stairwell, her work boots catching awkwardly on the industrial carpet. Once the door was closed, she leaned up against it and caught her breath. “Well,  _ that _ could have gone better.”

 

Back on the first floor, Poe watched as a flushed Rey whizzed passed him, shoving her hard hat back on and picking up a sledgehammer. His mouth opened, but before he could speak, she cut him off. “Don’t.”

 

He held up his hands in supplication and then called after her, “I’m assuming everything checked out okay?”

 

“Yes, sir!” she responded, giving him a middle finger and a smile before getting back to work. She liked Poe as a boss, but he could be a real asshole when he wanted.

 

* * *

 

Ben removed his glasses and rubbed his face, the strain of staring at a screen for too long getting to him. She had been here, looking right at him, but he stupidly couldn’t get a word out before she ran away. It was the first time he had seen her without the hard hat on, and she was just as beautiful as he thought. More so in person with the harsh overhead lights illuminating the freckles across the bridge of her nose. Her chestnut hair was back in a low bun, wisps of it falling out and clinging to her neck. And her  _ eyes _ , they looked nearly green inside. 

 

He first saw her one day last week when the main entrance to the building was closed and he was forced to use the back one on Vandam. It was jarring at first, seeing this woman construction worker eating her bagel with a bunch of burly men. She looked tiny in comparison, but up close he could tell she was actually above average height. Ever since that day, he kept taking the back entrance, purposely exiting the subway station on that side and walking past the rest of the workers just to catch a glimpse of her. It was silly to think that she might even notice him; he’d always had a tendency to blur into the background. Then she was on his floor, and he knew logically that the workers came and went as they had issues to tend to in the building… but she had looked right at him. And promptly disappeared. Maybe if he tried talking to her. He groaned and banged his head down on the desk. It was hopeless- he was hopeless, at least where women were concerned.

 

“So, funny story…” Mitaka had come up behind him, rambling on about some third floor gossip that Ben couldn’t give two shits about. Honestly, the editorial assistants were the bane of his existence. Usually they only came to see him when they needed to get an author paid. Other than that, it was typically quiet in royalties, which was just how he liked it.

 

“Fascinating,” he replied, voice dripping with sarcasm. 

 

“I know, right?” Mitaka answered, blissfully unaware of his tone. 

 

Ben held out his hand for the document Mitaka brought up. “Payment request?”

 

“Oh right, here you go. Thanks, Solo.” He sauntered away towards the elevator, back down to his third floor hive.

 

“Don’t mention it,” Ben grumbled as he turned back to his computer.

 

* * *

 

Rey yawned for about the fifth time in the span of ten minutes, looking down at her phone for a time check. There were delays on the A train, again, and it was taking her nearly an hour to get home. Hers was the second to last stop, so she watched forlornly as even more people filed off the train, heading home before she could. As the traincar emptied out more, she propped her work boots up on the burnt orange seat, letting herself spread out a little. By the time she made it to her third floor walkup in Washington Heights, she was bone tired. “Finn, are you home?”

 

No noise greeted her in response and his bedroom door was slightly ajar, so she figured her roommate was not home yet. Finn Abrams had been one of the first people Rey met when she moved to New York, looking for a fresh start and wanting to forget about her rocky past in London. He was subletting his ‘second bedroom,’ which really turned out to be the living room of the one bedroom apartment, but it made the rent insanely cheap for Manhattan, and he was a fun roommate. He was often out at auditions for Broadway shows, occasionally landing a part in an ensemble. Currently it was  _ Waitress _ , so Rey would constantly get the songs stuck in her head. When he wasn’t singing or dancing on stage, he’d walk dogs for extra cash.

 

It was imperative that she take a shower and wash off the day’s grime. Upon exiting, she heard Finn humming in the kitchen. She passed by on the way to her room and gave him a little wink, clad in nothing but her towel. “How was your day, darling?” he said while pouring himself some water.

 

“Rough,” she answered as she stepped through the curtain that served as her doorway. 

 

“I promise, pizza and beer will make everything better!” he called after her.

 

She changed as quickly as possible before popping her head back out of the curtain. “That actually sounds lovely!”

 

Rey pulled up their favorite pizza joint on the food delivery app and selected their last order, the same as always: one large pepperoni pizza. She listened to the front door slam as Finn made his way down to the bodega to grab a six pack. Since her room was technically the living room, they did have a couch in there. The pair spent most of the rest of the night curled up on the royal blue monstrosity, eating pizza, drinking their beer, and watching New Girl on Netflix.

 

“Wanna talk about it?” Finn asked her as he polished off another slice.

 

Rey took a sip of her beer. “Well, uh, there’s sort of this guy-”

 

He slapped her in the arm. “Rey Johnson! Are you holding out on me?”

 

“No! I mean, he doesn’t even know I exist. I mean, he might  _ now _ , but in the most embarrassing way.” She told him the story of her awkward encounter with the man she now knew was Ben Solo.

 

Finn whistled. “Oh you got it  _ bad _ .”

 

“Oh, shut up.”

 

“No, I think it’s cute! And how do you know he doesn't like you? Maybe he’s just as socially awkward as you are… maybe even more so!”

 

“Pssh, I doubt that.”

 

* * *

 

No sooner had Ben pulled his key from the lock and stepped inside his apartment than the ginger tabby from hell came clawing at his pants. “Huuuuux!” 

 

His wiley roommate, Armitage Hux, came forth from his bedroom. “Millicent, you be nice to Benjamin!” Then, taking in the mangled state of his pant leg, he said, “I think you should put a band-aid on that.”

 

Ben let out something that sounded like half a chuckle and half a grunt. “It’s me or the cat, you decide.” He threw his keys in the dish on the hutch by the door and inspected his pant leg.  _ Great, ruined _ . There was a small scratch on his leg, but he’d had worse.

 

“Obviously, the cat. Millicent is my ride or die, you know that.”

 

Reminding himself that he could never afford this place without Hux’s share of the rent, he shrugged it off and headed for the bathroom. Despite what people thought about the Organa-Solo family, Ben refused to take handouts from his wealthy parents, choosing instead to go it on his own. He had a decent salary, but the apartment overlooking Central Park required another decent salaried roommate in order to stay there. Hence, the ginger abomination and his bitch of a cat. Really, Hux wasn’t that bad. He was his only college acquaintance to last past college, and they put up with each other’s bullshit rather well. It helped that they never hung out together and mostly kept to themselves. If only Millicent would get the memo. 

 

He let most of his aggravation wash off under the hot water, rivulets coursing off his sculpted muscles. He used to have a real anger problem before he started taking all that extra energy to the gym. Now the only bruises he got were courtesy of the punching bag. His mind wandered to the pretty construction worker he’d finally seen up close today. Maybe he could work up the courage to find out her name.

 

When he made his way to the open kitchen that was attached to their spacious living room, Hux was pouring himself a bowl of cereal. They tried to refrain from small talk but occasionally loneliness and lack of other options won out. “You have a good day?” Sometimes his posh accent made even the sincerest of questions sound snooty.

 

“It was okay. There’s this girl-”

 

“Oh no. I don’t want to be involved in any of your romantic entanglements.” He shoveled a bite of granola into his mouth.

 

“Yeah, well, it probably won’t amount to anything so don’t worry. She barely knows I exist.”

 

“Oh for fuck’s sake, just talk to her. You have a lot more to offer than you think.” With that, he turned and stalked back to his room.

 

Ben stared after him, dumbfounded. Did Hux just give him a compliment? “Thanks, I think,” he muttered to the granite countertop.

 

* * *

 

Shifting her work boots further under her seat, Rey leaned forward, face desperately close to her phone. Sometimes she liked to read romance novels on her kindle app. The commute was long and she needed something to pass the time. However, the dashing young heir was taking the free spirited maiden right there on the grassy fields of his estate and she was getting a little too turned on for being trapped in a car full of strangers. She looked surreptitiously at the other commuters to see if anyone was reading over her shoulder before she immersed herself back in the story, trying not to gasp as the man unlaced the maiden’s bodice. 

 

She landed on the platform and whipped past the turnstiles with a little more pep in her step thanks to the story she had been reading. As always, she stopped on the corner and picked up a coffee and bagel from her favorite street vendor, preferring her hard earned cash go to him instead of any the corporate variety cafes nearby. Poe was already dishing out instructions for the day when she arrived. “You planning on talking to loverboy today, hmm?”

 

“I can’t talk to you until I’ve had some coffee.” She held up the little cardboard cup for him to see and made a show of taking a big gulp.

 

Snap laughed a little but Poe cut him off. “That’s enough out of you, Wexley.”

 

It was a rather light morning and Rey was still in a good mood by the time she sat down to actually eat her bagel. There weren’t as many of them out on the stoop today, and she was thankful for that. She might be able to people watch in peace. Then she saw him, Ben Solo, exiting the subway with a well-timed puff of steam, making it look like he was the star of some procedural drama, here to examine the body. She’d let him examine  _ her _ body. She was too wrapped up in watching him to hear Poe sit down beside her.

 

It was when  _ that ass  _ passed by in form-fitting khakis of all things and she sighed audibly that her boss decided to act for her. He put on his best feminine sounding voice and yelled, “Nice ass, Solo!”

 

“What the fuck, Poe?!” Rey turned beet red, praying the object of her affection hadn’t heard him. 

 

No such luck. “Excuse me?” He turned and backtracked to them. “Ah, I should’ve known it would be you, Dameron.”

 

“While, yes, I technically did catcall you… it wasn’t for me. My friend here, Rey, thinks you’re cute.”

 

“Poooeee,” she drew his name out into a long grunt as she slid her hard hat down over her eyes. Then, thinking there’d be no other time she would have this opportunity, as embarrassing as it might be, she shoved her hand out towards Ben. “Hi, I’m Rey. I guess you know my asshole of a boss.”

 

She didn’t know that Poe knew this man, but it was just like him to not tell her, especially once he knew she was crushing hard. “Yeah, our parents were friends back in the day.” He eyed Poe warily as he shook Rey’s hand. She gulped looking at how small hers looked in his. “I’m Ben.”

 

“Great! See? That wasn’t hard. What time you get off work, Ben?” Poe asked.

 

“Uh, five o’clock.”

 

“Weird. Same time as Rey! She’s going to be at the SoHo Room after work if you want to meet her for a drink.”

 

Ben looked at Poe then Rey and back again. “Is this some kind of joke?”

 

Rey stood up then, tired of Poe doing her dirty work. “Piss off, Poe!”

 

He knocked the edge of his hard hat and sauntered back into the building mouthing “You’re welcome.”

 

“It’s not a joke, Ben. If you’d like to join me, I’d love to get drinks with you after work.” She looked down at her feet and his, mere inches away.  _ Dear Lord, his feet are big, too. _

 

“Yeah. Yeah, I’d like that.” Suddenly his tone turned lighter.

 

She smiled up at him then. “Great, it’s a date.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The romance novel Rey was reading on the subway is a reference to SaturnineFeline's [Velvet Green](https://archiveofourown.org/works/15812763), a delightfully fluffy and smutty pastoral AU, which you should definitely check out.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for all the amazing comments on the first chapter! Without further ado, I present chapter two.
> 
> Come say hi on [tumblr](http://monsterleadmehome.tumblr.com) if you like.

Rey smoothed down her kelly green blouse as she walked to the SoHo Room, a mere block and a half away from the worksite. She kept a spare shirt in her bag for emergencies and well, drinks with Ben definitely qualified as an emergency. As angry as she still was at Poe for not telling her he fucking knew the man, she also was kind of grateful for his pushing her out into the deep end. She never would’ve worked up the courage to say hi on her own.

 

The SoHo Room was actually way less fancy than it sounded, but the drinks were cheap and it usually wasn’t too crowded. There was kind of an older ambiance to it as well, which Rey liked. And the cheesesteak sandwich wasn’t half bad. She took a deep breath and bit on her bottom lip, catching the faint taste of strawberries.  _ Damn _ , she forgot she had put on lip gloss. As she walked into the bar, she saw Ben already seated at a high top. “Thanks for meeting me. Sorry for how it happened, though.”

 

He looked just as nervous as she felt. “No worries. I thought Dameron was yanking my chain, honestly. I didn’t even know his crew was the one working on this project.”

 

“Why would he be yanking your chain?” She offered him a smile as the waiter came over to take their drink orders. They both opted for a white ale on tap. 

 

“Because, Rey, girls like you don’t usually look my way.” She could tell there was a faint blush creeping up his neck.

 

“Are you kidding me? You haven’t seen me checking you out since you started walking down my street?”

 

“Y-you were? I, uh, don’t even need to walk down Vandam. The door on Spring is closer to my part of the office. I only started going that way because I noticed you sitting there last week.”

 

She could scarcely believe her ears. He had noticed her, too. The waiter brought their beers over and Rey took a big swig, feeling the heat in her cheeks. “Oh. Then I guess we’re on the same page.”

 

“I guess so.”

 

Happy Hour went well after that. The waiter kept their beer flowing, meaning the conversation never dwindled. Ben lambasted her over her love of the Kardashians. “How can you watch that garbage?”

 

“What? It’s like a car wreck - you can’t look away!” 

 

On the other hand, she was fast to mock him over his love of animation. “I haven’t seen a cartoon in years.”

 

“That’s fine, I am more than happy to explain why Frozen is my favorite film,” said Ben. “It’s so much more than punchy songs and animation. It’s a story about accepting your flaws and not being afraid of who you really are!”

 

“So... kind of like Lady Gaga’s music.”

 

Ben rolled his eyes. “I guess…”

 

Upon hearing about Ben’s love of calligraphy after several beers, Rey completely lost it. “You’re a liar.”

 

“No, I swear! I did all one hundred invitations for my parents’ vow renewals by hand.”

 

“Okay, you have to show me sometime.” She flashed a toothy grin at him. This was going exceptionally well.

 

His eyes suddenly darkened and he leaned forward, putting both elbows on the table. “Do you have any idea what I want to do to you right now?”

 

Her breath caught in her chest, but she leaned forward as well. “What’s that?”

 

Taking advantage of her close proximity, he bridged the distance between them and caught her lips in the briefest, most tender kiss. “That.”

 

A sigh escaped her mouth. “Your lips are very kissable, Ben.”

 

He looked slightly flustered. “No one’s ever told me that before.”

 

“Well, maybe you’ve been kissing all the wrong people.”

 

* * *

 

The nice thing about living in a city where you never had to drive was that you could get as intoxicated as you wanted, as long as you could still find your way home. Ben was not drunk per se, but he was tipsy enough to think about inviting Rey back to his place. Apparently, she was inebriated enough to beat him to the punch. “Where do you live, Ben? Want to show me?” She had the audacity to bat her eyelashes.

 

He pulled up Uber on his phone, already calling a car. “Upper West Side, overlooking Central Park.”

 

“Holy shite. Are you loaded?” He loved the way her filter came off and her accent grew stronger the more she drank. She had started the night the picture of politeness, but as the beers kept coming he’d heard so many filthy words leave her lips. He’d loved every single one.

 

“No, but I have a roommate who is. Actually, my parents do have money, but I try not to take any of theirs. I work hard to stay where I am.”

 

“I’ll bet.” She was running her hand up his bicep, and he felt his cock twitch. Just then their car pulled up, and he opened the door for her.

 

“Such a gentleman,” she crooned. 

 

He scooted in beside her and she instinctively moved closer, running her hand along his thigh. Were they really doing this? He hadn’t been on a date in ages, let alone slept with someone on the first date. And Rey was special. He really didn’t want to fuck this up. “Are you sure about this?”

 

She leaned over and whispered close in his ear, “Absolutely positive.” Then she was kissing him.

 

He couldn’t hold back any longer. His tongue found its way to hers, meeting in a beer soaked dance as they explored each other’s mouths. God, she was exquisite. “Rey,” he breathed as they broke for air.

 

The Uber driver loudly cleared his throat and gave them the evil eye in the rearview mirror. Disentangling himself from Rey, he held onto her hand the rest of the way, tracing circles on her delicate skin with his thumb.

 

When they finally arrived at his building and stepped inside the elevator, they were on each other once more. He kissed her heartily, leaving her mouth only momentarily to nip at the tender skin of her neck. “I can’t believe you’re into me,” he murmured.

 

“Ben, you better stop it with this shit. You’re so fucking hot it’s distracting, okay?” Her admonishment carried more weight as she began to nibble on his ear.

 

Just then, the elevator dinged. They stumbled out and towards his apartment. He fumbled with the keys for a moment - okay, so maybe he was drunker than he thought- before getting them safely inside. Hux was thankfully nowhere to be seen; his hellcat also seemed to be missing, which was a good sign. He promptly ushered Rey into his room, not wanting to linger in the foyer in case someone did show up.

 

“Your place is huge!” Her wide eyes took everything in. Then, entering his room and seeing the muted shades of gray and slate blue, she added, “And gorgeous. Did you decorate yourself?” 

 

“Yeah, I did.” It was minimal but tasteful with a few random art prints, as well as some literary quotes that he had written out in calligraphy. Against one wall, there was a small desk with a still alive succulent that he was determined not to kill. The opposite held his king size bed and a large window. A bookshelf and a record player on a small table were the only other things in the room. He didn’t need much. 

 

“I like it,” she said as she flopped down on his bed.

 

He gulped at the sight of her just sitting so casually on the edge of his bed. “So what now?”

 

A mischievous grin swept over her features. “I’d quite like to sit on your face and just take things from there.”

 

Her tone implied she might be half joking, but his dick didn’t get the memo. He was already hard again just thinking about it. “Okay.”

 

Clearly shocked by his easy acquiescence, Rey started to walk it back. “Ben, I-” but she didn’t get to finish as he pounced, knocking her back onto the bed clumsily. His tongue sought hers out and she moaned when he let his hardness press up against her abdomen. He pressed hungry kisses all down her neck before stopping to suckle near her collarbone. She wound her fingers through his hair and god, was it amazing. How long had it been since someone touched him like this?  _ Too long _ . 

 

He rolled them over so she was straddling him, luxuriating in the view of her from this angle. Her chestnut hair fell all around her face, and she looked nearly angelic. “I believe you said something about face-sitting?”

 

“Ben, you don’t have to. I was just kidding.”

 

He reared up a little and brought her back down with him so he could kiss her once more. “The faster you get out of those clothes, the sooner you get to come.” He wasn’t sure where this newfound confidence was coming from, but he was definitely enjoying himself. He was practically salivating at the thought of her pussy on his tongue.

 

Nodding, Rey quickly got rid of her shirt. She had a pink polka dot bra on underneath and Ben somehow felt himself grow harder as he gazed on the swell of the tops of her breasts. She had a hell of a time shimmying out of her pants and almost fell off the bed, giggling as he caught her. He reached for the waistline of her panties, and she slapped his hand. “Not until you take your shirt off.”

 

Oh, she wanted to be coy now? He could play along. Unbuttoning his shirt ever so slowly, he gave her what he hoped was his best bedroom eyes. “Like this?”

 

“You’re going too slowly!” She started helping, going from the bottom up until finally he was freed from his shirt. “ _ Damn _ , it’s like your carved out of marble.”

 

Her hands ran up and down his arms, his chest, his abs. It felt  _ amazing _ . “Come up here,” he ordered as she was astride his waist and that really wouldn’t do for where he wanted his mouth right now. 

 

She started to crawl closer, bending down to give him another languid kiss. Then she sat up, her apex perilously close to his chin, her fingers toying with the hem of her panties. “Are you sure about this?”

 

He was. So sure, in fact, that he started to push the crotch of her panties aside. His finger had just brushed over her slit, finding her  _ so wet _ when his roommate picked the absolute worst time to barge in without knocking. “Is Millicent in here? Oh  _ fuck _ , sorry. Didn’t realize you had a girl-”

 

The cat from hell let out a terrifying screech as she ran from underneath the bed and hopped up on top, scratching across his abdomen as she leapt toward her owner. Ben cried out in pain as the claws ripped his flesh and Rey toppled off of him onto the floor. “I’m going to fucking murder you and your godforsaken cat, Hux!”

 

“Fine, fine. We’re going,” he said sheepishly, clutching Millicent close to his chest as he backed out the room and shut the door.

 

“Oh shit, you’re bleeding.” Rey was up and looking at his torso, clearly sober once more. She grabbed her shirt and threw it back on. “You have a first aid kit?”

 

“Yeah,” Ben said as he rose from the bed. Then, looking around, he added, “Wait, where did your pants go?”

 

She shrugged, and opened the door, a sliver of her pink underwear peeking out from underneath her shirt. This night was quickly going downhill. He followed Rey into the bathroom, ogling her pert little ass the whole way. “Sit,” she directed.

 

He sat dutifully on the countertop. She already had found the hydrogen peroxide and was moistening cotton balls with it. He hissed when she patted the scratches. It didn’t hurt, but it  _ was _ cold. “How does it look?”

 

“Eh, surface wound. You’ll be fine.” She smiled up at him from her hunched position. Her head was dangerously close to his crotch and he was trying not to think about the other things she could do down there. She finished cleaning the area and blew on it to help it dry. “So I didn’t know you had a cat.” Her fingers were now rubbing Neosporin on the scratches, and he bit his lip, chiding himself for being turned on by something so mundane.

 

“I don’t. Hux does.”

 

She stood up straight then sat on the closed toilet. “I gathered. She’s not a fan of yours?”

 

He scoffed. “Nope, she’s hated me since the day they moved in.”

 

She rose and came close, pulling at the edge of his scowl with her thumb. “Can’t imagine why,” she mused before kissing him again, slow and sweet. He relished the feel of her tongue as it found it way to his. Her taste was incredible, and he was sure he was ruined for any other woman now. His hand found its way into her hair before she pulled back. “I probably should get going…”

 

He pulled her close. “Please stay. I’m sorry our night got ruined, but… I really like you, Rey.”

 

“I really like you, too. I just need to sleep in my own bed, and I don’t have a change of clothes for work tomorrow.”

 

“Okay, I’ll order you an Uber.”

 

“Ben, you don’t have to.”

 

He put a finger over her lips to stop her protests. “I know. I  _ want _ to.” 

 

Rey went back to his room to grab her pants while he pulled up the app on his phone to hail her a ride. Then he walked her to the door, still shirtless with angry red marks on his abs. When she turned around to say goodbye, he caught her lips in a quick kiss. “Go out with me again?”

 

“Yes, but maybe next time we’ll go back to my place.”

 

He groaned as she slipped out the door with a smile.

 

* * *

 

When Rey let herself into her apartment, trying to be quiet out of respect for Finn, she was greeted with the sound of showtunes and the smell of cheddar cheese. Her roommate popped his head out of the kitchen. “Oh you’re finally home! Want some mac and cheese?”

 

“Are you kidding me? It’s three in the morning.” Rey shook her head at her best friend’s odd hours.

 

“So that’s a yes?”

 

She rolled her eyes, but then sniffed the air again, traipsing into the kitchen. “What do you think?”

 

They both sat on the giant blue couch, silently eating the mac and cheese. Rey was not a good cook. She never really learned how, always making stuff out of boxes or kits when she wasn’t ordering takeaway. Finn, on the other hand, could scrounge up something edible out of the most minimal ingredients. She moaned in appreciation of the savory goodness sliding down her throat. “I think this is the best mac and cheese I’ve ever had.”

 

“I’m glad you like it. So you’re home awfully late. Does that mean things went well or not so well with loverboy?” 

 

She had texted him about her date, but only inasmuch to let him know she’d be home later than usual. “It  _ was _ going great, and I was half naked about to get what I’m sure would’ve been the best head of my life, when his roommate’s cat ruined everything.”

 

“Aw, honey. Come here.” Putting their bowls aside, Finn cradled her against his chest. “I’m sure you’ll get off next time.”

 

Rey laughed in spite of herself. “Thanks for the comfort food. I really do need to get to bed.”

 

He nodded and cleared their plates, leaving her alone. Unwilling to walk the five or six steps to her bed, Rey lunged herself over the back of the couch and into bed. She shimmied out of her pants, tossing them on the floor. Sighing, she thought about Ben’s plushy lips on hers.  _ God, he’s  _ such _ a good kisser. _ She really wanted to know what it was like to have his mouth on other parts of her. Unable to fall asleep right away, she snaked her hand into her panties, finding herself dripping again. With a huff, she started to stroke herself vigorously, wanting to alleviate the building pressure within. She came quickly, but it was a shallow orgasm, her walls clenching around nothing. Smiling slightly, she turned onto her side and fell asleep. Her next date with Ben couldn’t come fast enough.

 

* * *

 

One hand braced on the bar of the subway, Ben shoved his glasses up on his head and used the other to rub the sleep off his face. He had a hard time falling asleep after Rey left, his body bereft of her presence. Fuck, this woman was going to be the death of him and they’d only been on one date. He still had a hard time believing she was into him, but her actions told him that she was. He idly stared at the ads plastered to the train car walls. In his bleary early morning haze, he had left his earbuds at home and couldn’t listen to his normal podcast. He wasn’t in need of erectile dysfunction medicine or a new mattress, so his eyes started to wander. A mother was nose deep in a romance novel while her little boy kicked his feet wildly, not caring where they landed. He spotted a cookie on the floor and popped off to retrieve it, making to shove it in his mouth. “You don’t know where that’s been!” Ben yelled at him.

 

The boy’s eyes went wide as the mom looked up and smacked the cookie out of his hand. “That’s so gross! Don’t eat things off the ground!”

 

_ You’re welcome _ , Ben thought as his gaze drifted to an ad for women’s clothing. The lady in the ad wore a cream colored sundress with tan sandals.  _ Rey would look gorgeous in that _ . He shook his head at himself, realizing how gone he was already. He would have to ask her when she was free next. He couldn’t prolong their next date any longer than necessary. 

 

When he exited at the Spring Street station, the anticipation of seeing her again made the butterflies in his stomach shift into overdrive. He climbed the stairs with the masses, pausing every second while he waited for those who walked at a slower pace to exit. Honestly he couldn’t stand people most of the time. A few more steps and he was under the scaffolding in the gray of the cloudy New York morning, looking right at her. She was laughing at something Dameron had just said and there was a smear of cream cheese at the corner of her mouth. He had the distinct urge to march over and lick it off with his tongue. Then she caught him staring.  _ Shit _ .

 

“Ben!” She waved him over as if they had done this a thousand times before. 

 

He walked to the front of her, hands awkwardly shoved into his pockets. She rose up and stood on the stair she had been sitting on, making her just a bit taller than he. “Good morning,” he greeted. She answered him with a kiss. He took advantage of the situation, and suckled on the edge of her lip, cleaning off the bit of spread for her. “You had a little bit of cream cheese on the corner of your mouth.”

 

Giggling, she responded, “If you want your own, I can always grab you one.”

 

His voice dropped to a whisper so only she could hear. “I’d much rather eat it off of you.”

 

Rey flushed but batted her eyelashes alluringly. “I think I’d like that.”

 

“Okay, lovebirds. Break it up. I think you both have work to do?” Dameron was pulling on his work gloves as he broke up their little stoop tryst.

 

Ben glanced at his watch. “Oh shit. Yeah, I’m running late now.” He gave Rey a quick peck on the cheek and called out as he was going, “Hey at least it’s Friday! You free tonight?”

 

“For you? Absolutely.”

 

He was still grinning as he swiped his card to get into the building. Today was going to be the longest Friday ever.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to everyone who's made it this far! I hope you've enjoyed this cute, self-indulgent modern AU of mine. I promise there's no cockblocking pets in this chapter, lol.
> 
> I'm not overly pleased with the ending here, so let me know what you think!

Rey watched as Ben made his way over to his building. He was wearing jeans for casual Friday and they did his ass _many_ favors. She could watch him walk all day, his long legs and tight glutes a feast for her eyes. Of course, his naked chest had been lovely as well. She couldn’t wait to see the rest of him sans clothes.

 

Poe’s throat clearing brought her out of her daydream. “Are you with me, Johnson? Damn, if I’d known you were gonna go this gooey over getting laid, I wouldn’t have intervened.”

 

Her face fell. “Oh. Well, actually-”

 

“Wait,” he cut her off. “Do you mean to tell me you guys are acting like that and you _didn’t_ fuck?”

 

“We were planning on it! But uh- his roommate has a cat and it kind of ruined the mood. I had to clean off his scratches.”

 

The face Poe made just as he succumbed to his raucous laughter put Rey in a foul mood. “Oh, that’s too good. Cockblocked by a cat. You two really are perfect for each other, you know that?” He shoved her work gloves into her hands. “Now come on and get back to work.”

 

“Yes, sir!” She raised her hand in a mock salute then stuck her tongue out as his back.

 

It was lunch time, and Rey was mid-bite of her falafel sandwich when her phone went off with a text from Ben.

 

 

> **Ben**
> 
> You live in Washington Heights, right?

 

 

> **Rey's iPhone**
> 
> Ya, why?

 

 

> **Ben**
> 
> I was thinking maybe I’d catch the train home with you & you could show me your neck of the woods.

 

 

> **Rey's iPhone**
> 
> Ya, there’s a fancy wine place that just opened up around the corner from my apt. Sound good?

 

 

> **Ben**
> 
> Excellent. 

 

She chewed her current bite and swallowed before a thought came to her.

 

 

> **Rey's iPhone**
> 
> Is this because I said next time you could come to my place so we wouldn’t get interrupted?

 

 

> **Ben**
> 
> Maybeee…
> 
> But I really do want to see where you live. Get to know you better.

 

She blushed as she took a swig of her ginger ale and threw her sandwich wrapper away.

 

 

> **Rey's iPhone**
> 
> But you’ll have to come back to my apt so I can change 1st.

 

 

> **Ben**
> 
> Perfect. I’ll swing by and walk with you when I’m done here?

 

 

> **Rey's iPhone**
> 
> Can’t wait.

 

* * *

 

Turns out when you were eagerly anticipating a date and a second chance with a beautiful girl, work went excruciatingly slow. Ben yawned as he stared at his inbox for the thousandth time. No new emails had come through and he was mostly caught up on everything except menial tasks. He removed his glasses and rubbed at his eyes blearily. _Time for another cup of coffee_.

 

He made his way to the break room and gaped at the two Keurig machines. One had a sign on it that said “Broken, Do Not Use.” The other one had a sign in a different ink that read, “Barely Functioning.”

 

“Are you _shitting_ me?” he whined to no one in particular. No matter, he knew someone who might be able to remedy his situation. He walked over to the other side of the office, where customer service sat. “Oh Rooose,” he started in a sing-song voice.

 

“Yes, Solo?”

 

“You got anymore of that Columbian instant coffee?” She had graciously offered him some one day after a chance encounter led to a brief but not unpleasant conversation about the MCU (Rose was a huge Cap fan, and Ben loved Iron Man).

 

“Ah, sorry, man. Fresh out. Guess you’ll have to go down to the sixth floor… or Starbucks.”

 

Offering her his best pout, he said, “I thought we were friends!”

 

She shrugged, tugging off her headset. Her ponytail bounced in a cute sort of way, and Ben realized she was pretty - he hadn’t noticed that before. If he wasn’t so hung up on Rey, he would’ve considered asking her out. “I mean, if you’re going to get on the elevator, you might as well just get the good stuff, right?”

 

He actually preferred the coffee at Dunkin’ to Starbucks, but he wasn’t about to argue with what could be considered his only office friend. “You make a good point. Want anything?”

 

“Really?” She seemed to light up at the offer. “Sure, I’ll have an iced white chocolate mocha.”

 

“Alright. I’ll be back.” He smiled as he pulled his phone out to order off the app. If he placed his order now, it would be nearly ready by the time he got down there. He decided to see if Rey wanted anything while he was at it.

 

 

> **Ben’s iPhone**
> 
> Hey- making a Sbucks run. Want anything?

 

 

> **Rey**
> 
> Seriously? Yeah that would be amazing!

 

 

> **Ben’s iPhone**
> 
> What do you want?

 

 

> **Rey**
> 
> Caramel macchiato pls!

 

 

> **Ben’s iPhone**
> 
> Girls and their frilly flavors. 

 

 

> **Rey**
> 
> Oh & what are you getting, macho man?

 

 

> **Ben’s iPhone**
> 
> Just a reg coffee

 

 

> **Rey**
> 
> Bo-ring 

 

 

> **Ben’s iPhone**

 

He finished putting the order in on the app and meandered over to the elevator, awkwardly smiling at the people he accidentally made eye contact with. That was the thing Ben hated about working in an office: the uncomfortable small talk and unnecessary eye contact. When he arrived at the corner Starbucks, all three drinks were on the counter, ready to go. He asked for a drink holder and was on his way. Ben could open-mouth kiss whoever invented ordering via smartphone apps.

 

“Caramel macchiato for the lady.” He winked at Rey as he handed her the drink and a straw.

 

“My hero!” She batted her eyelashes at him excessively. He just had to kiss her for that. It was a chaste peck, but it held the promise of whatever was to come after their date tonight. He couldn’t wait.

 

“Where’s mine?” Dameron asked, coming over to spoil the moment.

 

“None for you, Dameron. Only myself and pretty ladies.”

 

“Ladies, plural?” Rey cocked an eyebrow inquisitively.

 

“Uh-oh. I think I hear Wexley calling me,” Dameron said, backing away.

 

“Yeah, uh. I got one for Rose. She’s a coworker. The coffee machine was broken on our floor, and she usually has instant coffee, but she didn’t today.”

 

Rey’s suspicious glance turned into a smile quickly. She must be able to read him like a book. “Oh, is that all?”

 

“Yes, that’s all.” He swore he was sweating. Could she tell he was sweating? “You know I’m crazy about you, Rey… right?”

 

She flushed bright pink under her yellow hard hat, and Ben wanted to take her right here and now, up against the wall, with Poe Dameron watching. “I was just fucking with you, Ben.”

 

Her words sent a tremor through his nether regions. He leaned in closely. “Well, maybe save some of it for tonight, eh?”

 

She nearly choked on her sip of macchiato. “Will do.”

 

* * *

 

Rey was ready to burst by the time Ben came back to ride the train with her. The extra boost of caffeine and sugar he’d provided her with was just the push she needed to get through the rest of her day. That and the thought of his large hands on her body. It really had been too long. She was ready to jump his bones and they had only just met. Yet, she had been watching him for a week before that. It had given her plenty of time to imagine all the things she wanted to do to him.

 

It was the best commute of Rey’s life. Ben’s hand barely left the small of her back since he stopped by the stoop to pick her up. She had become a part of one of those couples she always cringed and rolled her eyes at canoodling on the train. Many smiles, laughs, and whispered words passed between the two of them. She was so caught up in his story about the time he caught a couple having sex in the park that she nearly missed their stop.

 

“Oh this is it!” she yelped, pulling on his hand and leading him out of the train car.

 

They ascended back into the sunlight, squinting in the low late afternoon sun. She noticed Ben taking in the sights as they walked along Broadway- the leaves changing in Fort Tryon Park, the banners for the Cloisters, part of the MET that rested at the top of the hill and held an impressive collection of medieval art. “I should come up here more. It’s really nice!”

 

“Oh don’t sound so surprised, Mr. Central Park snob.” She pinched his arm for good measure.

 

He laughed, and Rey felt a flutter in her chest. She could really fall for this guy. “I did sound surprised, didn’t I? I’m sorry.”

 

Linking her arm through his, faux pas forgotten, she led him down her street. “This is me,” she announced, fishing her keys out of her bag to let them through the front doors. The building was nondescript from the outside, a beige brick structure with black fire escapes. Once inside, the marble stairs and old wooden bannister spoke of its age. As with all the pre-war buildings, it was a walk up. Rey was happy they only lived on the third floor.

 

Once inside her tiny apartment, she suddenly felt a bit shy. Ben’s apartment was so spacious in comparison. He glanced around, noting the original wooden floors and crown moulding. “It’s a nice place.”

 

“Yeah, it’s not bad. I have the living room,” she indicated the room to the right with a chevron curtain that acted as a door. Quickly pointing, she continued, “Kitchen, bathroom, Finn’s room.” She pointed right to left, denoting each space.

 

“Is Finn home?”

 

“Oh no. He’s part of the _Waitress_ ensemble so he’ll be out practically all night. They almost always go drinking after a Friday night show. It makes his Saturday matinees a bitch, but he lives for the drama.” She smiled and pushed back the curtain, inviting him in. “This is where the magic happens.”

 

* * *

 

It was just _so Rey_. Two of the opposing walls were painted a lush yellow while the other two were light gray. There was a giant blue couch opposite a decent sized TV, and he supposed that this still functioned as a living room when it wasn’t her bedroom. Her bed which bordered the back of the couch was covered in an orange and yellow quilt that reminded him of the sunrise. Little extras - like her teal nightstand, prints of famous buildings, and bobblehead of the queen - made it feel like a home. “I love it. It’s very fitting.”

 

“Yeah?” She bit her bottom lip, and he was unable to resist anymore. He pulled her into his arms for a lingering kiss.

 

“Mmm,” she hummed as she pulled back for air. “I should probably shower before we go. I bet I smell.”

 

If this was how she smelled after a day of exertion, Ben thought it was wonderful. “I think you smell fine, but if you’d be more comfortable then go ahead.” A glint of mischief flickered across his eyes. “I could join you.”

 

Her smile was cheeky, but she replied, “No, you really couldn't. I’m afraid the shower is too damn small. I promise I’ll be quick.” She gave him a quick kiss on the nose, grabbed a couple things from her drawer, and ran to the bathroom.

 

Before long, he found himself deeply sunk into the plush cushions of the blue couch. He felt old when he wondered how he was going to get up gracefully. After checking all the notifications on his phone, he opened a game of Squatris. He had just cleared a square of colored blocks when Rey cleared her throat from the doorway.

 

“What do you think?”

 

Ben forgot how to breathe. She had changed into a slinky blue dress that was hugging all her curves just _so_. As she turned for him, he noticed the firm roundness of her ass and felt his pants tighten. Good god, he wanted to throw her down on the bed right now and ravish her like an old school romance novel. “You look divine.”

 

“Yeah?”

 

Nodding, he rose off the sofa as gracefully as possible and moved towards her. “So good, in fact, that if we don’t leave now, we won’t be leaving _ever_.”

 

Her cheeks flushed a lovely shade of pink as she swiveled on her heel and back through the curtain. “Let’s go, then. I’m _starving_.”

 

Ben found that he was starving, too; but it wasn’t food he wanted. The walk was blissfully short, though, as they stopped in front of the turquoise storefront he remembered passing on the walk home from the subway. It was a cool evening, so the front panels had been folded back, leaving the whole restaurant open to the elements. It was nice for ambiance, with the low lighting and natural wood everything. “This place is really great.”

 

“Right? I love it. I come sometimes with Finn to get a glass of wine. The food is amazing as well, but it can be a tad pricey.”

 

Scanning the menu, Ben didn’t think it was all that bad, but then he was used to the exorbitant prices of everything in Manhattan. They ordered several types of cheese, both cow and goat, a butternut squash soup that sounded enticing, and some pork belly sliders. Rey ordered a glass of white wine, and he opted for red. Everything was delicious, and he swore he was falling for this woman with every bite she put in her perfect pink mouth. He loved watching her eat. “You’re so beautiful.”

 

Swallowing her sip of wine, she flushed under his gaze. “Thanks. I’m really not used to so many compliments.”

 

“I think you should get used to it.” Yeah, he was falling hard. He reached across the table for her hand, rubbing her delicate skin with his thumb.

 

“Then I think you need to deal with the fact that you’re incredibly sexy.”

 

He felt the tips of his ears get hot and was thankful she couldn’t see how red they were getting. “Well, I’m glad you think so,” he said as he brought her hand up to his lips.

 

She shoved a piece of bread with cheese and guava paste into her mouth. Why was everything she did absolutely riveting? “I’m serious, Ben. I’ve seen at least three other women look you up and down since we came in. I gave them my death stare so they’d back off.”

 

“Oh yeah?” He laughed a little.

 

“Yeah, because you’re _mine_.” It wasn’t just what she said but the way she said it, her voice low and a little gravely, that went straight to his cock. They needed to get out of here soon. Ben flagged down their server and asked for the check.

 

* * *

 

Rey could barely believe what was happening. She was still under a wine and cheese induced haze when she slipped her key into the slot and let them both back into her place. No sooner had she done so than Ben had her pressed up against the front door, his velvety tongue sliding into her mouth.

 

A moan escaped her, unbidden, and she raked her hands up into his hair. It was so soft. “God, everything about you is perfect.” She reached up, removing his glasses and setting them on the hutch in the hallway. “Especially your eyes.”

 

Her voice sounded throaty, almost desperate, but apparently it was just what a Ben needed to hear. His hardness pressed into her abdomen as he leaned in even closer, laving her neck with open mouthed kisses. “You don’t even know, Rey. What you do to me…”

 

“I think I have a pretty good idea,” she said as her hands slid down his torso and played with the waistband of his jeans.

 

He groaned and suddenly she was in the air, being carried to her own bedroom. Lowering her gently onto the bed, he removed her shoes. His hands lingered there, fingers caressing her ankle bone. “Did you know you have really pretty feet?” Suddenly his mouth was there, placing a kiss on the delicate skin.

 

“Stop teasing me, Ben. Get your ass up here.” A smile crossed her face, but her eyes were full of desire. She felt like she had been waiting forever for him, even though it had only been a couple days.

 

“Mmm,” he hummed against her leg, kissing her knee. “I think I’ll take my time.”

 

Rey was about to scream, to protest. She wanted him where she could kiss him and feel him inside her, but all her arguments vanished as his mouth met her inner thigh, drawing her dress up further and further until he was hooking his fingers in the hem of her panties, his ocher eyes requesting permission to go further. “Yes,” she murmured, feeling the cotton slide down her tan legs.

 

“I believe I owe you some face sitting, but I’d be perfectly happy to make it up to you in this position.” His mouth hovered above her apex; she could feel herself growing wetter by the second.

 

“Please, Ben. I need you to touch me.” It was all the affirmation he needed, his hungry tongue diving in to taste her. “Oh god,” she moaned, winding her fingers into his hair as the flat of his tongue sent ripples of pleasure through her body.

 

Her back arched up off the mattress, and he used one of his giant hands to pin her hips down, his lips and tongue not done with their exploration of her slick folds. It was when he entered her with one of his thick fingers that she lost it, involuntarily bucking against him. A few quick pumps while he lapped at her swollen bud had her spasming against his face, him smiling into her as she came.

 

“Ben,” was all she could say, her voice barely a whisper. Little pulses were still coursing through her as she pulled on his arms, trying to coax him up her body.

 

He brought her dress with him, exposing more skin the further up he worked. A kiss on her stomach. “You-” her dress went up over her breasts. A kiss over the lace of her bra. “Are-” he finished pulling the garment off over her head and shoulders, kissing her mouth soundly once more. “Perfect.”

 

She could taste herself on his mouth, the sensation heightening her arousal again. Her bra was quickly unlatched as she came to sitting, letting it fall off and grabbing for his shirt. “I need to see you; _all_ of you.”

 

He helped her remove his shirt and then his jeans, his erection glaringly obvious in the boxer briefs beneath. She ran her hands along his torso, enjoying the hard lines there. _He really is a masterpiece_. She brushed her fingers lightly over the healing scratches on his abs. Her hands were under his waistband, squeezing his firm ass when his mouth on her nipple made her stop and gasp. Was he trying to kill her? It was working. “Need you inside me,” she said, tugging his underwear down and freeing his cock. “Dear lord. You are huge.”

 

Ben stopped his attentions at her breasts. “Really?”

 

“Did you…not know?” Her eyebrow quirked slightly. “You’re definitely larger than average.”

 

“What’s average?” He smirked.

 

“Definitely not you.” She bent down and licked him, unable to resist.

 

* * *

 

 _Fuck_. He had not expected this. Rey’s head was bobbing up and down the length of him and he shuddered, the shocks of pleasure going all the way up his spine. Her tongue, her hot mouth, her everything… it was too much. He was going to come. “Rey, stop.”

 

She released him with a pop, and he tried to think about spreadsheets instead. “Was that not good?”

 

“It was amazing, but if you keep it up I’m going to come, and I thought you wanted me inside you?”

 

Her cheeks flushed pink, and he had never seen a more gorgeous creature. Goddamnit. He was in love with her already. _Calm down, Ben_ , said an inner voice. But it was too late. “I do. I really do. I have an implant.”

 

A sigh of relief escaped him. He didn’t think he could last long enough to find the condom he’d slipped inside his jeans. “Lay back.”

 

She did as requested, and he watched her fall, her breasts changing shape and hair fanning out like some kind of goddess from a renaissance painting. Her legs spread wide for him, the invitation evident. He moved over her once more and lined himself up with her entrance. As he slowly pushed in, she keened beneath him.

 

“I’m not hurting you, am I?” She was tight, and he was trying to be as gentle as possible.

 

“God, no. Ben, you feel amazing.” He could feel her relax around him and he moved further, fully sheathing himself in her.

 

“Mmm, Rey… you’re so tight. I think you may have been made for me.” The things he felt were so intense, he couldn’t stop the words from falling out.

 

Then he started to thrust. It took all his concentration to not come just from the feel of her smooth heat around him. But every noise he elicited from her spurred him on further, his hips snapping against hers at a steadily increasing pace. Sweat beaded all along his skin and hers; he kept leaning in to lick the perspiration off her neck, her collarbone, her breasts.

 

“Unnf… Ben. Ah, I’m so close.” He kept pounding into her, snaking a hand down to rub her clit. A smirk pulled at his lips when he felt her walls start to flutter around him. She was screaming his name a minute later as she fell apart.

 

It was all he needed to chase after her. “Fuck. Rey,” he huffed through his heavy breathing as he came hard, spilling into her. After, he took his time pulling out — Rey having pulled him closer and kissing every inch of him within her mouth’s reach.

 

He closed his eyes as she threaded her fingers through his hair. “I think you’re it for me… is that crazy?”

 

Did he hear her right? He blinked a few times. “No, that’s not crazy. I feel the same way.” He placed a kiss on each of her eyelids.

 

* * *

 

When the sun poured through the blinds, causing Rey to slowly open her eyes, she smiled wide. A pair of strong arms still encircled her, and she could feel a certain something pressing into her backside, proof of the hot blooded male still in her bed. She rolled over and looked at a sleeping Ben. He really was quite beautiful. The worries he seemed to wear on his face in the daytime faded in sleep, making him look much younger. _I think I love you already_.

 

He didn’t last long under her scrutiny, one eye opening before he bared his teeth in a goofy sleep-addled grin. “Good morning.”

 

“Good morning to you, too.” She leaned in to kiss him sweetly, running her hand down his naked chest. Then hearing the ruffling of her curtain, she added, “Finn, we can see you, you know?”

 

The curtain pulled back a little as her roommate ducked his head in, a cheeky grin lighting up his face. “Sorry to interrupt. Just wanted to see if you guys wanted breakfast?”

 

“You making or ordering?” Rey rubbed the sleep from her eyes and held the sheet to her body as she scanned her floor for her clothes.

 

“Ordering.”

 

“Okay. I’ll text you our order.”

 

* * *

 

Ben was getting used to having a girlfriend. It was really the first time he’d been able to use the word and have people take him seriously. He thought his mother was going to jump through the phone when he told her the news. It had only been a few weeks, but there was no doubt in his mind that Rey was the woman he wanted to spend the rest of his life with. She slept at his place nearly as much as he slept at hers, Millicent having cozied up to her after her third time there. The demon cat was even being nicer to Ben these days.

 

He honestly didn’t even mean to say it. They had met for happy hour after work, like they did every Friday. Sometimes Dameron and some of the other crew would join them, but Ben preferred when it was just he and Rey - like it was today. They were well into their third round, and deep into an argument about extraterrestrials.

 

“But that guy with the hair from the History channel seems pretty convinced.”

 

“Rey, that guy is certifiable. I can assure you that aliens did _not_ help build the pyramids.”

 

“Then how did they get them so huge and perfect?!”

 

“They were good at math and had a shit ton of slaves!”

 

She crinkled her nose that adorable way that made his heart melt. “I don’t know, Ben. Some of those hieroglyphics show light bulbs and computers.”

 

He breathed an exasperated sigh. “Shut up and marry me.” Really, it was an accident. He had just wanted her to stop talking.

 

Her eyes widened, and she gasped suddenly. He was about to take it back, to save himself the embarrassment and blame it on the beer, when she said, “Okay.”

 

Ben nearly choked on his sip of Blue Moon. “What?”

 

“Did you mean it? I mean, I feel like you just blurted out some words, but did you mean it - ya know, deep down?”

 

He did, in fact, already purchase a ring. It was at home, not intended for use for at least another month or two - he really wasn’t sure what was a reasonable time to wait. His hand reached across the table to grasp hers, thumb drawing little circles on her soft skin. “Yeah, I did. I love you, Rey.”

 

A smile so bright he was afraid she’d blind someone grew across her features. “Then, yes. I’ll marry you, Ben. Tomorrow if you want. I love you, too.”

 

A giddy feeling washed over him. “I have a ring, but it’s at home. Apparently my mouth doesn’t inform my brain of the plans it’s making.”

 

“Mmm, well that’s not always a problem.” She hopped down from the barstool and walked around to kiss him soundly. “Maybe we should get the check and go _celebrate_ at your place so you can show me that ring.”

 

Ben flagged down the waiter before she was done with her sentence. He gripped the hips of his fiancé as he kissed her again before going outside to hail a cab. All of this seemed kind of unbelievable. A little over a month ago, he had a crush on a cute construction worker. Now she had just agreed to become his wife. Never had he been so thankful for the ever-changing pace of New York City.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Shoutout to mrsvioletwrites for the idea to use actual emojis in the text convos. I got it from her excellent fic, [Little Red Rider and the Wicked Wolf of the West](https://archiveofourown.org/works/15925631). Check it out if you haven't already!
> 
> Come say hi on [tumblr](http://monsterleadmehome/tumblr.com).


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